This invention relates to fuel rails and mounting arrangements for fuel injectors for internal combustion engine fuel injection systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a single piece fuel rail for supplying fuel to a plurality of fuel injectors.
Injectors are typically inserted into bores in the intake manifold of an engine. The mounting geometry of the injector relative to the intake manifold varies from engine to engine. As an example, it may be a requirement of an engine fuel system that the injector extend perpendicularly away from the intake manifold or extend at a determinable angle from the intake manifold. Furthermore, each injector in its mounted position may be skewed relative to any other injector. U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,209 to Wertheimer et al., issued Dec. 4, 1973, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,483 to Blisko et al., issued Jan. 6, 1976, illustrate common features of fuel rail designs. As can be appreciated because of the varied mounting orientations of each injector relative to one another, it may be necessary to use a plurality of clamps or flexible hoses to achieve proper fuel distribution by attaching each injector to its respective fuel carrying conduit as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,930,483. Alternatively, U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,209 shows the use of a fuel rail comprising two rigid conduits linked by two threaded connectors. Because of the angular orientation of each injector, the fuel rail must be assembled by joining both conduits using the threaded fittings after each bank of injectors are seated in the intake manifold and their respective conduit.
The advantages of the one piece fuel rail of the present invention are that it is easier to handle, takes less time to insert the injectors into the intake manifold and requires no assembly. In addition, the unitary construction increases reliability by eliminating threaded plumbing fittings and compliant rubber hoses while also lowering the cost of fuel rail.
The present invention relates to a fuel rail which is adapted to receive a plurality of fuel injectors and a mounting arrangement for injectors of an engine including a V-4, V-6, or V-8 engine. According to the embodiment of this invention, as illustrated in the drawings of this application and discussed in detail below, the fuel rail is a fuel carrying member for supplying pressurized fuel to injectors of a fuel injected engine. The fuel rail comprises a connector, one associated with each injector, adapted to rotatably receive each injector. The connector, which is in itself a fluid carrying member, comprising a cup-like structure having a shoulder therein to receive a resilient O-ring. The coaction of the connector, O-ring, and injector therein establishing a fluid type seal while affording an additional degree of freedom to permit the injector to be rotatably oriented in a conical fashion about an axis through the center of the connector to permit the simultaneous seating of all the injectors into the engine.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a rigid fuel rail of unitary construction for an engine. Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.